Beef Stew

     I don't know about you but I love a great beef stew, and tonight I made the best beef stew that I have ever had. Sometimes when I cook supper it turns out awful, but sometimes it just all comes together in perfect harmony. Well, tonight was a harmonious night! I try to remember to pray over the food before I start cooking it, but I do not always remember. Praise the Lord, He helps me out even when I forget to ask for help until I am in the middle of cooking or dishing up the food. God is so good! I hope that you enjoy this beef stew as much as my family has. Enjoy!

Beef Stew

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. stew meat
3 sweet onions, chopped
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
24 oz. mushrooms, washed and quartered
2 cans of green beans
7-10 new potatoes, depending on the size, cut into bite size pieces
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2-3 c. chicken broth, homemade if you have it
1-1/2 c. red wine, I used a merlot
salt & pepper
olive oil
flour

Directions:

Heat an 8 quart stock pot over medium to medium high heat. Pat your stew meat dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Lightly coat seasoned meat with flour. Add 1-2 T. of olive oil to your stock pot and cook the meat in batches, making sure to get a good sear but not cooking it through. Add more oil before cooking each batch of meat. When all of the meat has been seared add the wine, scraping up all of the yummy brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add in the onions, carrots, green beans, mushrooms, garlic, chicken broth, salt, and enough water to cover everything, plus about 3 extras inches. Cook on medium, covered, for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Add the potatoes, cover, and cook for another 1 - 1 1/2 hours. If you have too much liquid just cook uncovered until some of the liquid has evaporated. Serve with sourdough bead if you have it or all by itself if you don't. I didn't have any sourdough bread, but I was sure wishing that I did!